Winter sowing season has BEGUN! I'm looking forward to making more videos just like this one. I have a ton of seeds that I want to winter sow this year! Please share what seeds you are winter sowing and also how your method or process differs from mine. It's good for others to learn of different ways to achieve the same end goal. 😊❄ Winter Sowing Playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLx94OYQcbu9q1eqxsLsxqWGvzmF2iWq5L.html How To Collect Echinacea Seeds: th-cam.com/video/xh6gqhLCtJQ/w-d-xo.html
I usually save seeds in the fall, then just scatter them in my garden. And try to mimic nature. But you are right, some seeds do come up prematurely and will probably not survive the winter. Always learning something new in the garden every day right?
@GardenHappy Also, you have more control over the seeds when they are in a controlled environment like a milk jug or container. If they're left out to their own devices then birds or rodents can eat the seed. I love collecting seeds but I don't usually know where I want those plants to go in my landscape. So winter sowing is a great option because then I can prick the plants out and either pot them up or place them strategically in my landscape. ☺️
Hi Vita. I'm so glad I checked in with your channel. I'm your neighbor in Maine and this will be the first time I've tried winter sowing. I saved several colors of echinacea seeds, thanks to watching your seed saving videos. I'm hopeful and excited to add more flowers to my gardens on a budget.
Hello neighbor! I'm so happy to hear that you'll be winter sowing this year, Birgit. Trust me - after this year you'll be hooked. I know I am. 😅 Yay for collecting echinacea seeds! 💞 Please update me in the spring as I'd love to know how you do with your winter sowing. 🙏🏼
I am looking forward to winter sowing in the next few weeks! I see Linda’s name on many of your seeds and can’t even imagine how beautiful her gardens must be! Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing your gardening experience.
Hi Lisa! I hope you're able to get a lot of winter sowing done! Linda has the most beautiful gardens. In fact, I made a video a little while back touring her garden space. Here's a link to it in case you're interested: th-cam.com/video/f8YCTzu39Dw/w-d-xo.html. Merry Christmas to you as well, friend! 💗🎅🏼🎄
Hi Peggy! Thank you for sharing your winter sowing method. Using a soldering iron to poke holes and then using pipe cleaners to keep the top piece down in place is a very clever method! ✅🙂
I am a NH gardener as well. I have seen winter sow videos before but your video is going to motivate me to try it. I am on the edge between zones 4 and 5. I have two tunnels and will try this in the small tunnel that is shaded in the winter so it won't get too warm.
Hello neighbor! I'm so glad that you'll be trying winter sowing. Will you be storing your winter sown containers inside of the small tunnel? I'm just asking because you just want to make sure the container is getting rain & snow inside of it (unless you'll be hand watering it). Granted, they will freeze anyway. But just checking. 😊🌸🌱
Yes it has begun! I started my lavender seeds like you taught last year and I had 18 germinate and live out of 32. I was delighted. I never had any success before. TY!
Hi Vita my all time favorite flowers to winter sow are coneflowers,poppies, snapdragons,bachelor buttons and much much more. I can't wait to see how your winter sowing does!!
Hi Gwen! Yes - I too love winter sowing poppies. I'll be doing those very soon in fact! It sounds like you have great success with winter sowing. I'm looking forward to doing my winter sowing reveal video update in the late Spring! It'll also be fun to make videos on potting the plants and taking care of them. 🥰💐
I love winter sowing parsley. It always looks so pretty in the garden. I cook with it. It’s a host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly, and I use it in flower arrangements.
Hello Vita, I will Winter sow for the first time. I am in Zone 8a. I will use milk jugs and some juice bottles. I have a whole list of things I want to sow. 2 kinds of Cosmos, also the purple Coneflower and Wild Bergamot. Then some veggies like different kinds of Kale, Kohlrabi, some Herbs, 2 kinds of Swiss Chard, and later one 3 kinds of Zucchini and cherry Tomatoes. I only do container gardening. Maybe a few flowers into the ground. I am very excited getting started. I make sure to watch all of your upcoming videos! :)
Hi Ingrid! I'm so excited to hear that you'll be winter sowing for the first time this year! It sounds like you have some great seeds that you will be winter sowing. Thank you for sharing that most of your gardening is done in containers. One of my big goals this year is to do more container gardening so that I can have pretty pots and productive vegetables on my porches and bedroom balcony. I hope the videos that I make for my containers will inspire you this season. 💞😊
This year, I'm basing my winter-sowing based on compulsion to buy retail plants! 😂 I have no willpower when it comes to seeing retail plants thriving while I'm waiting for my seedlings to catch up! I'm starting mine this week! Thanks for sharing!
I like how you think! 😂 Winter sown perennials can definitely take a few years to bloom and/or reach maturity, but it's a fun and easy process with many different ways to achieve the same end goal. 🪷
I am in south Jersey and am creating a native garden room. I had 1 echinacea purpurea flower from seed in its 1st season, and 5 others just rooting in. I am excited that I was able to collect some seeds and leave some for the birds. I am a 1st year flower and shrub farmer and am winter sowing. Thanks for your informative and educational posts. 🤗
A native garden room sounds very interesting! I'm guessing the plants that didn't flower last year will flower this year which will be real nice. That's great that you were able to collect the seed from your one plant. I'm sure the golden finches and other birds enjoyed whatever seed you left behind for them. Be sure to check for freebie plants in the spring. Usually the birds can't eat all the seed and some drop to the ground. I always end up with freebie echinacea plants and then I move them around as needed. It sounds like you have some great plans for your garden! 😊🦋🐦
Hi Vita, I’ve started my winter sowing with poppies, Shasta daisy’s, sweet peas, and I’m about to start white echinacea. Looking so forward to see starting!
Hi Tammy! How exciting that you have started your winter sowing. I'm hoping to start my seed starting later today or early tomorrow morning. It's a great time of year to still be gardening! 💞😊🌸
I used punched holes and pipe cleaners to close my clear plastic containers last year and many seeds did not come up. I think where I live❤ in Montana, the wind blows all the time and everything was just too dry. I am 😅going to go back to milk jugs and duct tape and I am punching less holes in the top too. Tough being a farmer!
Hi Wanda! If you feel that your containers are drying out too fast, you can always bottom water them by placing them in a large tray full of water. That will make sure they at least get good and wet. It's usually not a problem for me given our very wet winters. Good luck, friend! 🤞🏼😊
I use almost the same method except I put duct tape completely around. I may try your method of taping this year just to see how I do. Also number my jugs and record them on my spreadsheet. I often plant multiple jugs of the same flowers at different times of the winter so the numbers help me tell the difference. So far I planted Milkweed, Cherry Brandy Coneflowers, Blanket Flowers, Balloon Flowers. and Lupine. I wanted to send you a screenshot of my spreadsheet but I can't figure a way to include it. When you plant 100 or more jugs, organization can be hard. The spreadsheet helps. Thanks again for a great video.
Hi Maureen! Thanks for sharing your method for winter sowing. I've heard people use the number method and it seems to work well. I really should try it some time. It sounds like you're planted some great flowers so far! If you don't mind, I'd love a copy of your spreadsheet. If it's in Google drive, you can share it with me (view only) at budgetgardeningwithvitaloca@gmail.com, or you can email a copy to me at this email - whichever is easier for you. I truly appreciate it! I agree with you that organization is key with all this seed sowing. Thank you, friend! 🥰🌼
I planted some of them for the first time a few weeks ago. They germinated in my grow room under lights. I was so excited so many came up! I really don't remember if I stuck the package in the fridge for a few months. I did it with different milkweed seeds so the cone flowers may have been with them. I am in the low AZ desert zone 9b and I put the milkweed outside after I planted them. They just started coming up now.
Hi June! How exciting that so many of your coneflower seeds germinated in your grow room! The great thing about coneflower seeds is that they typically don't need a cold stratification period (unlike many other perennial seeds). Also, I love that you are growing the milkweed. It's so fun looking for Monarch butterfly chrysalides on milkweed plants. I have fond memories of doing that with my kids when they were younger. 🦋🐛💗
@@budgetgardeningvita unfortunately I have NOT SEEN A MONARCH BUTTERFLY SINCE, 2017 when I protected their caterpillars. It was interesting watching that process from tiny eggs, through flying away when ready. Now I am providing a lot more nectar plants to attract them. I have a camping shade enclosure I have ready to use where I can keep the milkweed and the developing monarchs when they decide to return.
Hi Suzanne. Thank you! I just huddle all my milk jugs next to each other so they support each other and end up being fine. We get a few windy days here and there but nothing terrible, so the wind is usually not an issue. If you live in an area that gets extreme winds, then you may want to put your containers in a more protected space or surround them with something so that they can't blow over. 🥰💐
Hi Vita, I am winter sowing for the first time. About a week ago I sowed some Alyssum and Shasta Daisies. I used milk jugs, however, I failed to put them outside, what should I do with them now. I live in Texas, zone 9B. The temperature has gotten colder . I'm afraid if I put them out now, I will shock them and they will die. Thanks for your videos. I try to watch all of them. I learn something from each one.
Hi Carmelita! How exciting that this is your first year with winter sowing! That feeling when you see seeds sprouting ➡️ PRICELESS! 💞 Did the seeds that you sowed start germinating? In other words, do you now have plants growing in your milk jugs? If not, you should be fine with putting the milk jugs outside. If they need water, just spray some through the hole in the top of the jugs. Please let me know how things are going. 🤞🏼 Since you probably don't get snow in Texas, they key will be to not let the milk jugs dry out, especially if you don't get any rain.
Hi John! Definitely give coneflowers a try again. It's so worth it. Would you be using seeds that you collected or seeds that you bought? Just make sure the seeds are at least a few years old so that germination is good. 🤞🏼😊
Winter sowing season has BEGUN! I'm looking forward to making more videos just like this one. I have a ton of seeds that I want to winter sow this year!
Please share what seeds you are winter sowing and also how your method or process differs from mine. It's good for others to learn of different ways to achieve the same end goal. 😊❄
Winter Sowing Playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLx94OYQcbu9q1eqxsLsxqWGvzmF2iWq5L.html
How To Collect Echinacea Seeds: th-cam.com/video/xh6gqhLCtJQ/w-d-xo.html
I usually save seeds in the fall, then just scatter them in my garden. And try to mimic nature. But you are right, some seeds do come up prematurely and will probably not survive the winter. Always learning something new in the garden every day right?
@GardenHappy Also, you have more control over the seeds when they are in a controlled environment like a milk jug or container. If they're left out to their own devices then birds or rodents can eat the seed. I love collecting seeds but I don't usually know where I want those plants to go in my landscape. So winter sowing is a great option because then I can prick the plants out and either pot them up or place them strategically in my landscape. ☺️
Hi Vita. I'm so glad I checked in with your channel. I'm your neighbor in Maine and this will be the first time I've tried winter sowing. I saved several colors of echinacea seeds, thanks to watching your seed saving videos. I'm hopeful and excited to add more flowers to my gardens on a budget.
Hello neighbor! I'm so happy to hear that you'll be winter sowing this year, Birgit. Trust me - after this year you'll be hooked. I know I am. 😅 Yay for collecting echinacea seeds! 💞 Please update me in the spring as I'd love to know how you do with your winter sowing. 🙏🏼
I love looking out my kitchen window and seeing the little jugs lined up and covered with a foot of snow!
Hi Cindy! I hear you! It's so nice seeing them all tucked in and snug during the winter, knowing that there will be life in them soon enough. 💞❄️
I am looking forward to winter sowing in the next few weeks! I see Linda’s name on many of your seeds and can’t even imagine how beautiful her gardens must be!
Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing your gardening experience.
Hi Lisa! I hope you're able to get a lot of winter sowing done! Linda has the most beautiful gardens. In fact, I made a video a little while back touring her garden space. Here's a link to it in case you're interested: th-cam.com/video/f8YCTzu39Dw/w-d-xo.html. Merry Christmas to you as well, friend! 💗🎅🏼🎄
I use a soldering iron to put two holes in my jugs opposite corner from the handle and use pipe cleaners or twisies to hold it closed.
Hi Peggy! Thank you for sharing your winter sowing method. Using a soldering iron to poke holes and then using pipe cleaners to keep the top piece down in place is a very clever method! ✅🙂
This is such VALUABLE information!!! 💜💜💜 Liz
Thanks, Liz! 🌸
I am a NH gardener as well. I have seen winter sow videos before but your video is going to motivate me to try it. I am on the edge between zones 4 and 5. I have two tunnels and will try this in the small tunnel that is shaded in the winter so it won't get too warm.
Hello neighbor! I'm so glad that you'll be trying winter sowing. Will you be storing your winter sown containers inside of the small tunnel? I'm just asking because you just want to make sure the container is getting rain & snow inside of it (unless you'll be hand watering it). Granted, they will freeze anyway. But just checking. 😊🌸🌱
Yes it has begun! I started my lavender seeds like you taught last year and I had 18 germinate and live out of 32. I was delighted. I never had any success before. TY!
Hi Cathy! I'm so glad to hear that you had some success with your lavender seeds germinating. Yay!! 🥰🪻
“Let’s go!” Ready for winter sowing! 💪🏻
I love this! "Let's go!" is right. Winter sowing is in full swing now, my friend! 🥰🪷
Hi Vita my all time favorite flowers to winter sow are coneflowers,poppies, snapdragons,bachelor buttons and much much more. I can't wait to see how your winter sowing does!!
Hi Gwen! Yes - I too love winter sowing poppies. I'll be doing those very soon in fact! It sounds like you have great success with winter sowing. I'm looking forward to doing my winter sowing reveal video update in the late Spring! It'll also be fun to make videos on potting the plants and taking care of them. 🥰💐
I love winter sowing parsley. It always looks so pretty in the garden. I cook with it. It’s a host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly, and I use it in flower arrangements.
Hi Julie! What a great idea about winter sowing parsley. I may just have to try it for all the great reasons that you shared! 🦋💐🥰
Hello Vita, I will Winter sow for the first time. I am in Zone 8a. I will use milk jugs and some juice bottles.
I have a whole list of things I want to sow. 2 kinds of Cosmos, also the purple Coneflower and Wild Bergamot. Then some veggies like different kinds of Kale, Kohlrabi, some Herbs, 2 kinds of Swiss Chard, and later one 3 kinds of Zucchini and cherry Tomatoes. I only do container gardening. Maybe a few flowers into the ground. I am very excited getting started. I make sure to watch all of your upcoming videos! :)
Hi Ingrid! I'm so excited to hear that you'll be winter sowing for the first time this year! It sounds like you have some great seeds that you will be winter sowing. Thank you for sharing that most of your gardening is done in containers. One of my big goals this year is to do more container gardening so that I can have pretty pots and productive vegetables on my porches and bedroom balcony. I hope the videos that I make for my containers will inspire you this season. 💞😊
This year, I'm basing my winter-sowing based on compulsion to buy retail plants! 😂 I have no willpower when it comes to seeing retail plants thriving while I'm waiting for my seedlings to catch up! I'm starting mine this week! Thanks for sharing!
I like how you think! 😂 Winter sown perennials can definitely take a few years to bloom and/or reach maturity, but it's a fun and easy process with many different ways to achieve the same end goal. 🪷
I am in south Jersey and am creating a native garden room. I had 1 echinacea purpurea flower from seed in its 1st season, and 5 others just rooting in. I am excited that I was able to collect some seeds and leave some for the birds. I am a 1st year flower and shrub farmer and am winter sowing. Thanks for your informative and educational posts. 🤗
A native garden room sounds very interesting! I'm guessing the plants that didn't flower last year will flower this year which will be real nice. That's great that you were able to collect the seed from your one plant. I'm sure the golden finches and other birds enjoyed whatever seed you left behind for them. Be sure to check for freebie plants in the spring. Usually the birds can't eat all the seed and some drop to the ground. I always end up with freebie echinacea plants and then I move them around as needed. It sounds like you have some great plans for your garden! 😊🦋🐦
@ I’m excited for what is coming in the spring. 🌞
Hi Vita, I’ve started my winter sowing with poppies, Shasta daisy’s, sweet peas, and I’m about to start white echinacea. Looking so forward to see starting!
Hi Tammy! How exciting that you have started your winter sowing. I'm hoping to start my seed starting later today or early tomorrow morning. It's a great time of year to still be gardening! 💞😊🌸
I used punched holes and pipe cleaners to close my clear plastic containers last year and many seeds did not come up. I think where I live❤ in Montana, the wind blows all the time and everything was just too dry. I am 😅going to go back to milk jugs and duct tape and I am punching less holes in the top too. Tough being a farmer!
Hi Wanda! If you feel that your containers are drying out too fast, you can always bottom water them by placing them in a large tray full of water. That will make sure they at least get good and wet. It's usually not a problem for me given our very wet winters. Good luck, friend! 🤞🏼😊
I use almost the same method except I put duct tape completely around. I may try your method of taping this year just to see how I do. Also number my jugs and record them on my spreadsheet. I often plant multiple jugs of the same flowers at different times of the winter so the numbers help me tell the difference. So far I planted Milkweed, Cherry Brandy Coneflowers, Blanket Flowers, Balloon Flowers. and Lupine. I wanted to send you a screenshot of my spreadsheet but I can't figure a way to include it. When you plant 100 or more jugs, organization can be hard. The spreadsheet helps. Thanks again for a great video.
Hi Maureen! Thanks for sharing your method for winter sowing. I've heard people use the number method and it seems to work well. I really should try it some time. It sounds like you're planted some great flowers so far! If you don't mind, I'd love a copy of your spreadsheet. If it's in Google drive, you can share it with me (view only) at budgetgardeningwithvitaloca@gmail.com, or you can email a copy to me at this email - whichever is easier for you. I truly appreciate it! I agree with you that organization is key with all this seed sowing. Thank you, friend! 🥰🌼
I planted some of them for the first time a few weeks ago. They germinated in my grow room under lights. I was so excited so many came up! I really don't remember if I stuck the package in the fridge for a few months. I did it with different milkweed seeds so the cone flowers may have been with them. I am in the low AZ desert zone 9b and I put the milkweed outside after I planted them. They just started coming up now.
Hi June! How exciting that so many of your coneflower seeds germinated in your grow room! The great thing about coneflower seeds is that they typically don't need a cold stratification period (unlike many other perennial seeds). Also, I love that you are growing the milkweed. It's so fun looking for Monarch butterfly chrysalides on milkweed plants. I have fond memories of doing that with my kids when they were younger. 🦋🐛💗
@@budgetgardeningvita unfortunately I have NOT SEEN A MONARCH BUTTERFLY SINCE, 2017 when I protected their caterpillars. It was interesting watching that process from tiny eggs, through flying away when ready. Now I am providing a lot more nectar plants to attract them. I have a camping shade enclosure I have ready to use where I can keep the milkweed and the developing monarchs when they decide to return.
December is almost.over is it to late.to.do this now? I'm in 9b far northern ca?
Hi Barbara. You can winter sow your perennial seeds from late December through about February, so it's not too late. Happy planting, friend! 😊🌸
Hi Vita - do you secure your jugs to keep them from blowing over? Love your videos!
Hi Suzanne. Thank you! I just huddle all my milk jugs next to each other so they support each other and end up being fine. We get a few windy days here and there but nothing terrible, so the wind is usually not an issue. If you live in an area that gets extreme winds, then you may want to put your containers in a more protected space or surround them with something so that they can't blow over. 🥰💐
I will be trying this. Very interesting! Zone 5 eastern Iowa.
Hi Vita, I am winter sowing for the first time. About a week ago I sowed some Alyssum and Shasta Daisies. I used milk jugs, however, I failed to put them outside, what should I do with them now. I live in Texas, zone 9B. The temperature has gotten
colder . I'm afraid if I put them out now, I will shock them and they will die. Thanks for your videos. I try to watch all of them. I learn something from each one.
Hi Carmelita! How exciting that this is your first year with winter sowing! That feeling when you see seeds sprouting ➡️ PRICELESS! 💞
Did the seeds that you sowed start germinating? In other words, do you now have plants growing in your milk jugs? If not, you should be fine with putting the milk jugs outside. If they need water, just spray some through the hole in the top of the jugs. Please let me know how things are going. 🤞🏼
Since you probably don't get snow in Texas, they key will be to not let the milk jugs dry out, especially if you don't get any rain.
Tried them before and didn’t have luck,try again!
Hi John! Definitely give coneflowers a try again. It's so worth it. Would you be using seeds that you collected or seeds that you bought? Just make sure the seeds are at least a few years old so that germination is good. 🤞🏼😊
@ it was with seeds I bought.
🥰🤶🎅🎄⛄️🧣
💞🪻❄️